The Canadian Open has arrived on the tennis calendar once again, and many have struggled with the differing conditions.
The tournament switches every year, with the ATP and WTA Tours transitioning between Toronto and Montreal.
Various ATP players have noted struggles with the environment after the tournament’s switch from Montreal to Toronto, with Andrey Rublev saying the conditions in Toronto are ‘completely different.’
Struggles with transition are expected. After all, players are getting used to the hard courts after the grass-court swing headlined by Wimbledon.
However, Andrea Petkovic, a former French Open semi-finalist, has pointed to a particular change that is affecting players just as much as the surface change.
Andrea Petkovic explains the differences between Slazenger and Wilson US Open balls
Writing on her Substack, Petkovic noted the change in balls from Slazenger to Wilson US Open balls at the Canadian Open.
One major name, Taylor Fritz, recently noted he was having an ‘incredibly hard time’ putting the ball in the court at the Canadian Open, adding that the Wilson US Open balls are the hardest to control ‘all year.’
Petkovic said: “If you have wondered why some of the matches haven’t been up to par in terms of quality, particularly in the first few rounds – we’ve seen double faults en masse, we’ve had unforced errors in bulks – well, what the clay to grass change is in surface is the Slazenger to Wilson switch in tennis balls.
“From the heaviest to the lightest within days and not only that, while the Slazenger ball fluffs up when it gets played the Wilson ball (unless it’s very humid) becomes almost bald.
“So, from having full control over where shots are going with the Slazenger and potentially having to go down in string tension to ensure you have enough depth against the best in the world, you now struggle to keep a grip on your serve, groundstrokes and, of course, your sanity.
“Once the sanity is gone, the good tennis is right there with it, following sanity like a loyal puppy.
“In short, keep a grip on your serve if you want to keep a grip on your sanity. She’s a fickle, little monster.”
What did Taylor Fritz say about the Wilson US Open balls?
World number four Taylor Fritz has been outspoken about the change in ball from the grass courts to the American hard courts.
The American star, who is set to play 19th seed Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round, spoke to reporters after his third-round victory over Gabriel Diallo.
Fritz said: “I think these balls are for sure the hardest balls to control that we play with all year, the Wilson US Opens.
“And they’re not bad, it’s just the balls that we’ve been playing with on tour for the last couple years consistently the most, they’re just really soft and more dead.
“So they slow down off the bounce, they hold on your strings longer, there’s just like a more soft, dead ball we play with. You play with these, they shoot off your racquet, they jump off the court faster.”
